(Concept above is my own.) The City of Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens provides enriched cultural and educational experiences, supported by the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA), which administers its special events, visitor services, community relations, and advertising. I was hired by GLAZA to direct a seven-figure request for proposal process for a new agency. My services during the six-month search included an internal needs discovery, an RFI to identify candidates, an extensive RFP, and guiding the entire process through the final pitch with neutrality. Result: The internal team decided on an agency from a dozen qualified candidates and four finalists, resulting in a collaboration to strengthen the brand’s presence.

As co-founder and co-director of this groundbreaking, immersive program in Paris and Los Angeles, I oversaw business development, media, and sponsorships for four years. I also co-developed curriculum, produced fashion and beauty shoots, student exhibitions, and cultural excursions. Coverage included Nikon World Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, California Apparel News, LA Weekly, NBC-LA, and other media. Result: The business grew more than 200% CAGR to include students from ten countries with unprecedented industry access. Sponsor partners, including Nikon and Profoto, received promotional benefits and long-lasting brand loyalty. The cultural immersion impacted students both creatively and contextually. The exhibits gave them recognition, benefited sponsors with another, enriched layer of connection, and content was shared across social platforms and media, with millions of impressions.

I created a series of intimate salons in Los Angeles, inspired by the Parisian artist and writer gatherings of Gertrude Stein, that encourage connection, authentic experiences, and a lively exchange of ideas. Partnering with an architectural historian, chef, museum educator, art critic, artists, and authors, I have produced, marketed, and hosted architectural walking tours, cooking and drink-making classes, art exhibits, and book signings. Results: Success was not measured in clicks or metrics, simply by its value in cultivating community, friendship, and stress-free education in a casual environment. For a strategically focused brand activation, I can scale up this hands-on learning concept to deliver enjoyable, personalized experiences that create lasting, impactful brand memories.

As part of multichannel marketing strategy that I developed for this scrubs manufacturer, one initiative activated was a non-traditional program tailored to recognize past purchase loyalty, with a surprise, curated gift by mail and exclusive invitation to join the “Scrub Club” for more gifts and perks. It encouraged both connection and brand advocacy. Result: By using a combination of personalized communications, online registrations, and social media optimized with robust tracking and analytics, the program resulted in a significant spike in purchases by loyalists and club participants, and drove additional word-of-mouth advocacy and referrals among colleagues.

Among other marketing strategies, this contest was implemented to recognize a healthcare superhero for going above and beyond to bring happiness to patients, created with “pay happiness forward” messaging that aligned with the core “happiness” brand positioning. The nomination process was supported through social media, e-blasts, and retailer tent cards, with one lucky nurse winning a spa trip to Santa Monica, and a tour of the company’s offices. Result: The contest provided an opportunity for colleagues to be part of the decision-making process (nominating a co-worker for a job well-done), and gave the winner a meaningful, personalized brand experience. Strategic goals were met with contest tracking showing positive sentiment in sync with brand positioning and increased awareness.

For more than a decade, I’ve worked closely with the artist overseeing dozens of initiatives, including the curation, design, and copywriting for a limited edition monograph of abstract works with a forward by art critic Peter Frank. I have also handled the artist’s portfolios, e-newsletters, catalogue raisonné, art preparation for installations, and management of his fashion photography archives. Result: This integrated approach has strengthened the artist’s brand presence, helped maintain his positioning on the world stage, and created opportunities for collaboration, including gallery representation, museum acquisitions, global exhibitions, inclusion in more than a dozen retrospective publications worldwide, and artwork purchased by private and corporate collectors.

In 2019, I co-founded an organization that advocated for fifty-year old departure routes to be reinstated at a local airport after the FAA suddenly shifted hundreds of low flying jets daily over the Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) of the Santa Monica Mountains, jeopardizing residents and wildlife. We built a volunteer coalition in four communities; aligned with a dozen environmental, homeowner, and citizens organizations; and gained support from national, state, and local government leaders who formed a Task Force to work on a solution with the FAA and airport authorities. I led strategy, messaging, and statistical analysis, and presented solutions with my co-founder at meetings attended by 500+ residents and media. Result: Volunteers, collaborative grassroots organization efforts, media coverage resulting in millions of impressions, and sustained diplomacy, helped produce a successful outcome. In 2025, departures were successfully revised to mimic historic routes using new aviation technology.